Chapter 38

THIRTY-EIGHT

M arcus spent the next hour coordinating with his security teams while Natalie and Emily refined the production protocols. His enhanced senses had fully returned, allowing him to track every movement in the lab while maintaining video calls with his pack leaders. The constant awareness of his mate’s location helped calm his wolf’s protective instincts.

“The Stockholm facility is fully staffed,” his European alpha reported. “Ready to begin counteragent production as soon as the formula arrives.”

“Good. Coordinate with Emily for setup requirements.” Marcus watched Natalie bend over her microscope, her hair escaping its messy bun. “And Johan? Triple the security. If Tomlinson has international reach...”

“Already done. No one gets within a mile of that lab without us knowing.”

Similar conversations with other pack leaders followed. Marcus had spent years building a global network of allies - now it would serve to protect his mate’s creation. The thought of Tomlinson’s forces targeting any of these facilities made his wolf snarl.

“Your jaw is doing the thing again,” Natalie called without looking up from her work.

“What thing?”

“That clenching thing when you’re plotting violence.” Now she did glance over, eyes sparkling with amusement. “Very alpha-male-protective, but maybe save the rage for after we perfect the mass production formula.”

“I don’t clench my jaw.”

“You absolutely do.” She abandoned her microscope to approach the desk, perching on the edge. “Along with the growling and the hovering and the constant scent-marking...”

“I do not scent-mark-“ He broke off as she raised an eyebrow. “Often.”

“Mm-hmm. And I suppose the way you keep touching me whenever anyone else enters the lab is purely coincidental?”

“That’s different. That’s...” He searched for a scientific explanation she’d appreciate. “Establishing clear mate-pair bonding indicators for potential rivals.”

“Wow.” She bit back a laugh. “Did you actually read those shifter biology papers I left on your desk?”

“Maybe.” He pulled her into his lap, nuzzling her neck. “Know your enemy and all that.”

“I’m your enemy now?”

“You’re my mate who keeps distracting me from security planning with scientific discussions and poorly hidden smirks.”

“Poorly hidden?” She shifted to straddle him, making his wolf rumble in approval. “I’ll have you know my smirking technique is highly refined. Years of practice.”

“Is that what you were doing in grad school? Smirk refinement?”

“Among other things.” Her fingers traced patterns on his chest. “Advanced sarcasm. Doctoral-level eye-rolling. Very intensive curriculum.”

Marcus caught her wandering hands. “You’re doing it again.”

“Doing what?”

“Distracting me.”

“Am I?” She blinked innocently. “I thought I was conducting important research on alpha male responses to various stimuli. Very scientific.”

“Natalie.”

“Yes, Alpha?” The title rolled off her tongue like honey, and she damn well knew what it did to him.

“We have work to do.”

“We are working.” She rocked against him deliberately. “I’m documenting physical reactions to-“

The lab door opened, saving Marcus from what would undoubtedly have been a very scientific explanation of exactly what she was documenting.

“Seriously?” Jax threw up his hands. “Can you two not keep your hands off each other for five minutes? We have a crisis to manage!”

“Actually,” Natalie straightened her shirt with dignity, though her cheeks were pink, “we were conducting important research on mate-pair bonding behaviors.”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

“Out, Jax,” Marcus growled, but there was no heat in it. His beta’s timing was terrible, but he had a point. They needed to focus.

“Going. But Emily needs Natalie in the main lab. Something about changing the delivery system into an aerosolized version.”

Natalie was already moving toward the door, scientific focus returning. “The molecular binding could easily be refigured. We’ll need to adjust the...”

She disappeared down the hall, trailing scientific terms in her wake. Marcus watched her go with equal parts fondness and exasperation.

“You know,” Jax leaned against the doorframe, “when I said you needed to find your mate, this wasn’t exactly what I pictured.”

“No?”

“I was thinking maybe a nice wolf shifter. Someone quiet and calm. Instead you get a human scientist who creates world-changing formulas and drives you crazy with science talk.”

Marcus smiled, remembering how Natalie had systematically dismantled Liam’s loyalty with nothing but theoretical biology. “Would you believe me if I said she’s perfect?”

“Believe you? Boss, I’ve never seen you smile so much in your life. It’s actually kind of disturbing.”

“Your support is touching.”

“Hey, I’m thrilled. Though I do have one question.”

“Just one?”

“When she starts explaining molecular whatever-it-is, do you actually understand any of it?”

Marcus laughed. “About one word in ten. But watching her talk about science...” He shrugged. “It’s like watching art in motion.”

“Oh God.” Jax clutched his chest dramatically. “You’ve got it bad. The big bad alpha, brought low by a tiny scientist with a vocabulary that could kill.”

Marcus raised a brow.

“Going now.” Jax’s grin turned wicked. “Have fun with your ‘mate-pair bonding research.’”

A pen bounced off the closing door where Jax’s head had been. Marcus shook his head, unable to completely suppress his smile. His beta was right - he did have it bad. And he wouldn’t change it for anything.

A crash from the main lab made him jump to his feet. He found Natalie surrounded by broken glass, Emily already helping her clean up.

“I’m fine!” She waved off his concern. “Just a minor incident with gravity. Though technically speaking, the coefficient of friction between glass beakers and lab benches-“

“Natalie.” He caught her hands, checking for cuts. “What happened?”

“She got excited about a breakthrough and forgot physical objects exist,” Emily supplied helpfully. “You know, the usual.”

“It wasn’t excitement, it was scientific enthusiasm. And I’ll have you know that moment of inspiration could revolutionize our production capacity. If we modify for…”

Marcus let her scientific explanation wash over him as he helped clean up, making sure she hadn’t hurt herself. His mate might be intense, but her enthusiasm sometimes outpaced her spatial awareness.

“You’re hovering again,” she noted without pausing her explanation of molecular bonds.

“You’re bleeding.”

“It’s a paper cut!”

“From broken glass?”

“Well, no, that was from the research papers I was reviewing earlier. The glass didn’t actually touch me. Though if you really want to discuss laboratory safety protocols...”

He silenced her with a quick kiss, ignoring Emily’s gagging sounds in the background. “New rule - no handling breakable objects when you’re having scientific breakthroughs.”

“If you two are done with the romantic comedy routine,” Emily interrupted, “we actually did have a breakthrough. Show him, Nat.”

Natalie bounced back to her workstation, previous embarrassment forgotten in her enthusiasm. “Look at these.”

Marcus studied the complex data streams, understanding perhaps a third of what he saw. But he recognized the triumph in her voice, the way her entire being lit up with scientific passion.

“How soon?” he asked.

“Twelve hours to implement the changes. After that...” She grinned. “We’ll be making more counteragent than Tomlinson could ever handle.”

Pride swelled in his chest. His brilliant mate hadn’t just created a defense - she’d found a way to protect everyone he cared about. His pack, his people, all safer because of her incredible mind.

“Have I mentioned lately that you’re amazing?”

“Hmm.” She pretended to consider it. “Not in the last hour. Your praise metrics are slipping, Alpha.”

“We’ll have to fix that.” He pulled her close, ignoring Emily’s dramatic exit. “How about I show you exactly how amazing I think you are?”

“That sounds...” She bit her lip. “Highly unprofessional.”

“Good thing I’m not your boss anymore.”

“Technically debatable since you own the company.”

“Want to debate it?” He let his voice drop to that growl she pretended to hate but actually loved. “I can think of several interesting ways to settle the argument.”

“I should really monitor the new synthesis protocols...”

“They can wait thirty minutes.”

“Thirty minutes?” She raised an eyebrow. “That’s not very ambitious, Mr. Vale.”

His answering growl made her laugh - right up until he proved exactly how ambitious he could be.

The protocols could definitely wait.